(1) Field of the Invention
This invention generally relates to a method and apparatus for retaining wires in a cylindrical tube.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Existing submarine signal launchers are substantially similar to that shown in FIG. 1 of the present application by way of example only. In particular, there is shown in FIG. 1 a launch tube 16 having housed therein a gas generator 12, an acoustic device countermeasure 14, and a ram plate 26.
More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, a countermeasure launch tube 16 has a countermeasure 14 loaded therein in front of a ram plate 26. The ram plate 26 has gas seal gaskets 28 formed therearound. The gas generator 12 is positioned behind the ram plate 26 within the launch tube 16. The gas generator 12 has seal gaskets 13 formed therearound. A countermeasure status cable 18 passes from countermeasure 14 through the ram plate 26. The countermeasure status cable 18 has a connector 32 positioned on the distal end thereof. A gas generator status cable 22 having a connector 24 joins with the countermeasure status cable 18 at the connector 32 between the ram plate 26 and the gas generator 12. During a launch, the gas generator 12 explosively generates gas behind the ram plate 26 thereby forcing the ram plate 26 to the end of the launch tube 16, and thus forcefully ejecting the countermeasure 14 from the launch tube 16. At the time of the launch, the connectors 32, 24 detach, and the countermeasure 14 begins its operation.
In use, the countermeasure 14 is fitted into the launch tube 16. The countermeasure 14 has the trailing status cable 18 which is joined to the gas generator status cable 22 prior to loading the gas generator 12 in the launch tube 16. The gas generator 12 is loaded tightly against the countermeasure 14. Often, the status cables 18, 22 or the status cable connectors 32, 24 are pinched between the gas generator 12 and the countermeasure 14. This results in a malfunction of the status cable.
Other known technologies in this area include the following: U.S. Pat. No. 3,932,922 to Thastrup discloses pipe systems for hot media including arranging a number of pipe lengths in continuity to each other with a certain spacing between the adjacent ends thereof, and interconnecting these ends by means of relatively short, axially easily compressible conductor elements such as tube bellows, after which the pipe lengths are axially expanded by sending a hot medium through the pipe system thus assembled, until the single pipe lengths, at a temperature below the expected maximum operational temperature of the system, have expanded sufficiently enough to cause the adjacent pipe length ends to abut against each other, after which these pipe length ends are joined rigidly to their surroundings and subjected to temperature variations without the lack of thermal movability of the pipes causing impermissible stress in the pipes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,635,443 to Pino discloses a non-fouling actuating mechanism in which an intermediate actuating metal bellows filled with a liquid is positioned between an explosive gas cartridge and an actuating piston in an ordnance ejector system. The liquid in the bellows creates a fluid pressure internal to the bellows equal to the gas pressure external to the bellows. The fluid-filled bellows transmits gas pressure to the piston but prevents damage to the piston and piston seals from the high-pressure, high-temperature erosive gas.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,495,819 to Marion discloses an endothermic gas generator for use in a device propulsion including, in one embodiment, an enclosure having stationary walls and a ram dividing the enclosure into first and second sections and movable in a particular direction to enlarge the first section and reduce the second section. The arrangement fails, however, to teach or suggest the collapsible tube of the present application.
DE Patent No. 4030-712-A to Wenzel et al. discloses a submarine torpedo launching system which protects a torpedo and guidance cable from hot exhaust gases using a sliding piston. The launching system allows the torpedo to be fired from a closed transport container and steered towards the target via a guidance cable. The torpedo and the guidance cable are protected from the hot exhaust gases provided by the firing jet by using a sliding piston within the transport container between the torpedo and the combustion space. The walls of the container are protected by a flame resistant covering deployed by the forward movement of the sliding piston. The flame resistant covering, however, does not protect internal wires from being pinched by adjoining parts as occurs in the present application.
The above devices substantially fail to teach or suggest the method and apparatus disclosed in the present application as directed to the modification of an existing submarine signal launcher to prevent pinched control wires between a gas generator and an acoustic countermeasure.